Synthetic production of hydrocarbon compounds.



L. B. CHERRY.

SYNTHETIC PRODUCTION 0F HYDROCARBONCOMPOUNDS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2l| |916.

Patented June 12,1917.-

[M2/LM @wom/tto@ lTo all 'uihomz't may concern:

` v.UNITED STATES PATENT oFFroE.

r LOUIS BOND CHERRY, OF KANSAS "cI'IY, MISSOURI.

l SYNTHETIC PRODUCTION F H'YDROGARBON GO1YIlEVOUNQDS.`

Beit known that I, LOUIS BOND 'az citizen of the United States, and resident of Kansas City, Jackson county, and State 'of Missouri,.h'ave invented certain new and Vuseful Improvements in Synthetic Produ@ tionrof Hydrocarbon Compounds, of which the followingis a specification. ,v This invention relates to certain improvements -in and relating to the synthetic production of hydrocarbon compounds by electrochemical action; and the objects 'and nature of the invention will be readily understood' by those skilled inthe art in the v1sI light of the following disclosure of the preferred mechanical expression and method of practising the invention..

I havediscovered that -a re-arrangement of the molecular structure of a hydrocarbon compound can be brought about 'to change 5 Athe boiling point and gravity thereof, by

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subjecting such compound to the silent discharge of a bipolar oscillatory high-frequency electric current and that the boiling point and gravity of the compound produced can be varied by varying the frequency Of the current applied; and furthermore, that a relatively low gravity hydrocarbon compound can be so changed as to produce a compound of higher gravity and'of lower boiling point by subjecting such low gravity compound to Said electric discharge when said low gravity compound is in a vaporized state and mechanically mixed with a small point hydrocarbon compound; and furtherhydrocarbon (such as casing' head gasof proportion of a high gravity low` boiling more, that a high gravity `low boiling point lene)- can vbe so changed as to Aproduce a.

product of lower gravity and higher boiling point, by subjecting the same to such" electric discharge while said high gravitycompound isin a vaporized stateandmechanicallymixed with a small proportion of a rela-lf, tively low gravity'high boiling point hydro carbon compound. l,

My discovery is of peculiar value and im"- portan'ce when applied to hydrocarbon coni- 'pounds' of the paraffin series following thel common formula (CII2}-2) as Ieamfenabled 1 to raise any of the solid orliquid compounds: of said series to a higher position in the se-4 ries bythe addition of still higherV gravity hydrocarbon liquid or gas without-the 'substantial destructive distillation, precipita'- tion of carbon or release of free. gas that Specification of Letters P atent.

CHERRY,

gout the waste incident to destructive, distillation. I usually pass the -Vaporized or gaseous hydrocarbon compound orA compounds through a peculiar electric field'or an electric treating chamber provided with separated electrodes `along or between which 75 the fluid flows so that the fluid will be .Subjectedfor a more or less,y extended period of time to the silent electrical discharge oscillating back and forth between said electrodes and across the intervening space.

This treating chamber-is usually arranged i c .Patented June 12, 1917. A' lApplication iled February 21, 1916. Serial No. 79,763. I 'l producing hydrocarassed through a bipolar osto` constitute a portionof the ofl'take or outlet passage from any suitable still in whic '1 the hydrocarbon fluids are brought to thedesired or any suitable temperature under any suitable pressure, which tlnperature and pressure are also approximately maintained in said treating chamber. I usually pass or discharge the fluids from said treating chamber directly into any suitable condenserv from which the final liquid product can be discharged in any suitable manner:l

The frequency of the electric current discharge during theoperation, will be varied, through the medium of suitable adjustable instrumentalities employ-ed, according to the temperature and pressure in the treating.

chamber and the boiling point and gravity l desiredin the final product. These various the condenser and then vary the frequency 'of the electric current until the desired result i's secured. y

'In the accompanying drawings I have diagrammatioally illustrated apparatus vvthat can be employed for vpractising my invention.

In thesedrawings, I have indicated' -any suitable still -1provided with any suitable heating means 2, and having' any suit-- -able discharge or offtake pipe or connection 'conditions may vary during lthe Operation and according-'to the particular compoundsl 100 3, forming a treating chamber 4, and leadingto and discharging into any suitable conlength arranged within the still for more or less uniformly distributing the fluid flowing from the pipe throughout the body of fluid in the still, although my invention is not so limited.

In the articular example illustrated, the treating cliamber is arranged within the still and above the liquid level so as to be subject to the same temperature and pressure conditions that exist in the still. In this example, this treating chamber consists of metal or other good conductor of electricity, and has an elongated portion or extended length arranged within the still, and is of horizontally elongated pipe or tubular form with an inlet at one end open within the still and forming the discharge opening or outlet from the vapor or gas space of the still. The opposite end of the tubular conducting body or pipe length 8, extends to the exterior of the still and opens into a suitable coupling or union 9, leading to the condenser 5.

In 'the particular embodiment illustrated, the tubular body 8, forming the surrounding wall of the treating chamber is utilized to constitute or `form one of the electrodes, while the opposing electrode 10, is arranged centrally and longitudinally within and approximately throughout the length of said chamber 4, and throughout its length is uniformly spaced from the inner surfaces of the tubular body 8, that forms said chamber. The electrode 10, can be supported by insulators 11, by which said electrode is insulated from the body 8, and from the walls of the -still and through which the current can be conducted to said electrode by wires 12. The current can be conducted to the opposing electrode (the body 8) from wire 13, through an insulator 14, so that the electrode 8, will be thoroughly insulated from the electrode 10, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art, although I do not wish to limit my invention to the arrangement ofelectrodes, wiring and insulators illustrated.

The power is supplied through wires 15, 16, from any suitable source of referably alternating current and is supplied to the wires 12, 13, through the medium and control of any suitable adjustable inductive resistance 17, anysuitable high tension transformer 18, any-suitable adjustable condenserl 19, any suitable spark gap 20, any suitable (either adjustable or non-adjustable) oscillation or high frequency transformer 21, or otherwise, to produce a bipolar oscillatory high frequency silent electric ldischarge across .the treating chamber back' and forth between the electrodes 8, 10. According to my present understanding of my invention and discovery the current should be of such nature and so controlled as to avoid sparking or arcing and to provide the oscillatory silent discharge of high voltage and high frequency, and yet so that the current is under convenient manual control to permit.

the still to vaporize all of the volatile portions of the liquids therein preferably avoiding precipitation of carbon and freeing of gases and consequent waste and breaking down of compounds. I usually maintain more or less pressure in the still although the presence or absence of pressure will depend on the particular fluids being treated and the particular results being sought.

The vapors and gases are mechanically mixed and uniformly heated and 'pass from the still through the treating chamber wherein -they are subjected while under the heat and pressure in the still, for a more or less extended period of time to any electrical discharge which will cause a re-arrangement of their molecular structure and produce a hydrocarbon compound having a boiling point and gravity differing from those of the hydrocarbon compounds introduced into 4 this connection, I have found that it takes a higher frequency to vproduce the higher gravity low boiling point compounds than v the lower gravity higher boiling point .products. If I desire to raise the`gravity and lower the boiling point ofa comparatively low ravity hydrocarbon distillate of the para n series,' the liquid compound is introduced into the still through the pipeH 6, (if need be under the required pressure to overcome 4the pressure in the still) and the llow of liquid is controlled and is approxi- 5 va-porized in the still and passed off through the electric treating chamber. During the operation of the still, a constant fiow of either free hydrogen or hydro- D gen carrying gas or compound is discharged 10 vinto the liquid in the still through pipe 7,

to supply a volume of such compound or gas that will be heated by its passage through the liquid to the same temperaturev as the vapor rising from the liquid' and so as to become mechanically mixed with the vaporized distillate and flow therewith'into the electric treating chamber and supply the hydrogen to unite with the distillate vapor and produce the fluid'hydrocarbon .product which will be of different molecular structure from either of the compounds originally introduced into the still and will be of lower boiling point and higher gravity than the distillate originally introduced into the Still.

The hydrogen carrying compound introduced through pipe 7, is preferably'a high gravity volatile hydrocarbon liquid, or a gas, such/'as natural gas.

The still is so operatedand vcontrolled as to reduce tothe minimum all possibility of destructive distillation -and cracking, and to avoid precipitation of carbon, and consequently the still is preferably coveredat the top or otherwise arrangedand provided with heat insulating materials to prevent condensation within. the still. o

It is not necessary to maintain` or predetermine any particular proportioning between the volume of distillate' and the volume of gas introduced through pipes 6 and 7, except to provide a surplus volume of gas, that is, more gas than is taken-up by or combined with thevapori'zed distillate. The

surplus gas passes over with the final hydro-V carbon product and is trapped at the condenser discharge.

In the particular product from the condenser discharges into a trap or separating chamber 23,' in which the liquid settlesto the bottom and can be drawn off through v alved pipe 24,.w'hile the surplus or u nconsumed gas rises to the topv of the" chamber and can `be drawn oil through va'lved pipe 25. -Usually the compressor (not shown) that forces the gas-into l,the still through pipe f7, also draws the surplus gas. from pipe 25, and discharges thel same back again into the-still. The operator can by observing gage '26, on trap 23, determine whether to increase or diminish the volume of gas discharged into' the still.

` The peculiar electric discharge excites the ,vapor and gases and causes re-arrangement r-65,1"of 'the' molecular structures thereof during `methane (CHQ introduced intov the still -a resulting'liquid product will be drawn ciate Athe fact that, inthe example mentioned,

i diagram shown, the' thls re-arrangement` takes place without ma"- terial loss of carbon, and is brought about by controlling the rate of frequency of the peculiar, electric discharge. The rate of fre,- quency of the electric discharge must be under the control ofthe operator so that he can vary the same until he produces a product of the particular gravity and boiling point desired. v u

As a specific example of the application 8o of my method to hydrocarbon compounds of the paraiiin series, if one volumeof pentadecane (CHM) is introduced into the still through pipe 6, to every two volumes of through pipe 7 arid the mechanical mixture of the resulting vapor and gas rising from the liquid in the still is passed through thel peculiar electric field hereinbefore described under proper heatA and pressure conditions,

from the plpe 24, of the condenser consisting of two volumes of octane (08H18) while one volume of methane (CHQ- will be drawn from pipe 25 for return into the liquid in .95 the still through pipe 7. In this lnstance,

approximately the following reaction takes s -The boiling point and specific gravity'of each of the just mentioned compounds vof the paral'ln series'- are well understood by those skilled inthe art who -will'also appre`1 I have through my method producedV a liquid product of the paraffin series having a comparatively high gravity and lo'w boiling point with respect to they corresponding characteristics of the liquid compound introduced into the-stilland that a substantial gain in hydrogen percentage'has been made over'said comparatively low' gravity liquid :introduced into the still. Y

readlngs and to the gravity ratin of hydrocarbon. compounds of the para series wherein pentadecane is accorded a specific gravity of approximately v38B.v and a -boiling point of approximately 496.4" Fah. and much higher in the series, appears octane with a specific gravity of approximately 69 B.' and boiling point of approximately l 2540Fah. I c y Desir-ing to protect my discovery and invent-ion in the broadest manner legally pos- The references-herein inade'to high and -low gravity refer to Baume scale hydrometer sible, what I claim is:

1. The method of causing re-arrangement of the molecularstructures -of liquid hy- 13o drocarbon compounds to produce va product of the same series but of different gravity and boiling point by subjecting such compounds While in a vaporized state to the silent discharge of a high frequency oscil lating bipolar electric current or its equivalent, substantially as described.

2. The method of causing a re-arrangement of the molecular structure of a hydrocarbon compound to vary its percentage of hydrogen without loss of carbon which consists in subjecting such compound to the silent discharge of a high frequency oscillating bipplarV electric current in the presence of a different compound of the same series and While said compounds are maintained under a vaporizing temperature, substantially as described.

3. In the electrochemical method of treating liquid hydrocarbon compounds, that step which consists in subjecting such compounds to the silent discharge of a high frequency oscillating bipolar electric current, in'the simultaneous presence of a vaporizing temperature and an agent for supplying hydrogen to unite with said compound to produce a final product of diii'erent gravity and boiling point from the compound originally treated, substantially as described.

4. The method of producing a relatively high gravity hydrocarbon product by the addition of hydrogen to a comparatively loW gravity hydrocarbon liquid Without loss of carbon, Which comprises subjecting said liquid while being maintained in a hot vaporized state to the silent discharge of a high frequency bipolar oscillating electric current in the presence of a hot hydrogen supplying gaseous agent.

5. T he method of treating liquid hydrocarbon compounds which consists in vaporizing the same and then passing the same While heated through the silent discharge of a high frequency bipolar oscillatory electric current and then condensing the same.

6. The method of treating liquid hydrocarbon compounds to produce different gravity and boiling point hydrocarbon products which consists in subjecting such compounds to the silent discharge of a bipolar high frequency oscillatory electric current and varying the frequency of such current to obtain a product of an aproximately predetermined gravity and boiling point.

7. T,he method of treating low gravity l1 qu1d hydrocarbon compounds to produce high gravity hydrocarbon compounds which consists 1n producing a mechanical mixture of such compounds and a smaller proportion of a hlgher gravity hydrocarbon compound and then causing a re-arrangement of the molecular structures of such compounds Without precipitation of carbon to produce a product having a higher percentage of hydrogen than contained in the original liquid compound by subjecting such mixture in the presence of a vaporizing temperature to a high frequency oscillatory electric current discharge, substantially as described.

8. The method of treating a liquid hydrocarbon compound which consists in vaporizing the same. and heating and mixing a hydrocarbon gas therewith and then treating the mixture of vapor and gas in the presence of heat with the silent discharge of a high frequency oscillatory electric current and then passing the resulting product through a condenser.

9. The method of treating liquid hydrocarbon compounds which consists in introducing the same into a still, introducing a hydrocarbon gas into said liquid in the still, heating the liquid to vaporize the same and to heat the gas and mechanically mix the gas and vapor, subjecting the mixture of gas and vapor While under the heat and pressure conditions gin the still to the silent discharge of a bipolar oscillatory high frequency electric current passing the vapor and remaining gas into a condenser, and then separating the resulting liquid hydrocarbon product from .any remaining free gas, substantially as described.

10. In the electrochemical method of treating hydrocarbon compounds, that step Which consists in subjecting such compounds While in the vaporized state to the silent discharge of a high frequency oscillatory` bipolar electric current in the presence of an agent for supplying hydrogen to unite with such compound to produce a product of a diierent gravity from the compound treated, substantially as described.

11. The method of treating liquid hydrocarbons of the paraiiin series to change the gravity thereof which consists in subjecting the same While in the vaporized state to the silent discharge of a bipolar oscillatory high frequency electric current.

l2. In the method of treating a loW gravity hydrocarbon distillate to produce a high gravity liquid hydrocarbon of the same series as the distillate, vaporizing the distillate and subjecting the7same to the silent dis- -charge of a high frequency bipolar oscillatory electric'current.

13. In the electrochemical treatment of low gravity hydrocarbon distillates, subjecting the distillaterwhlile in a vaporized state to the silent discharge of a bipolar oscillatory electric current and manually controlling the frequency of such current to obtain a product of approximately predetermined` gravity, substantially as described.

14. In the electrochemical treatment of hydrocarbon compounds, subjecting the compound to the silent discharge of a high frequency bipolar oscillatory. electric curdischarge wherebyhydrogen is vtaken froml the gas lto produce a liquid hydrocarbon product of relatively high gravity, substan-v tially as described. f

16. In the method of treating4 a liquid hydrocarbon compound of the paraffin series, vaporizing said liquid and introducing a hydrocarbong'as into said liqiiid While being vaporized to produce ainec anical mixture e of the gas and vapor and causing a rear rangement of the' molecular structure ofsaid Vcom ound by `which it takes vup hydrogen to pro uce a product of the paraffin series hav.- ing a higherpercentage of hydrogen than said compound by subjecting such mixture Ato a high frequency bipolar electric current discharge.

1'1.. In the production of relatively light oils from heavy oils, subjecting thel heavy' oils while in the vaporized state to a high frequency electric current discharge in the p resence of a hydrocarbon gas r vapor rela'- ,tively .rich in hydrogen.

i181. In the production of relatively lighty oils from heavy oils Without substantial loss of carbon, subjecting the heavy oils While 1n the vaporized state tol an oscillatory electric current discharge of the necessary frequency in the presence of a comparatively small roportion of hydrocarbon gas or vapor re atively rich in hydrogen.

19. In the production of relatively light .oils from heavy oils, subjecting the hea oils While in the vaporized state to a hig fre uency bipolar electric current discharge in t e presence of a lhydrocarbon gas or vapor relatively rich in hydrogen.

.20.- In theproduction of'relatively light oils from heavy oils Without substantial loss of carbon, subjecting the heavy oils-while in the vaporized state to a high' frequency electric current discharge in the presence of hydrocarbon gas or vapor-relatively rich in hydrogen.

-21.. In the production of relatively light oils from heavy mineral oils withdut'substantial loss of carbon, subjecting the heavy oils while in the vaporized state-to the silent discharge-of 4a high frequency electric cur- Ithe /distillate bysubjectin i vapor and gas to a high requency electric:

rent in the presence of hydrocarbon gas or vapor relatively rich in hydrogen.

22. The art of producing relatively light'l oils from heavy mineral oils by increasing the percentage of hydrogen in the heavy oils Without substantial destructive distillation and loss of carbon, through treatment of said oils, while in the vaporized state and .in the presence of a hydrogen lsupplying agent, by an oscillatory electric current discharge of the necessary frequency.

23. The art of producing relatively light oils from heavy mineral oils byincreasing the percentage ofl hydrogen iii the heavy oils without substantial destructive distillation and loss of carbon, tlirough treatment of said oils, While in the presence of a hydrogen supplying agent, by the silent discharge offa high frequency electric current.

. 24. In the production of low boiling point i relatively light oils yfrom heavy oils, that -step which consists in increasing the percentage of hydrogen in the heavy oils Without substantial loss of carbon through thetreatment of such oils in the vaporized state by the silent discharge of an oscillatory electric current of '-the necessary frequency.

25. In the production of low boiling point relatively light oils from heavy mineral oils,

percentage of hydrogen in the heavy oils 'without substantial loss of carbon'through the treatment of such oils in the vaporized state bythe discharge of an oscillatory electric current of thenecessary frequency.

26. In the method vof treating liquidl hydrocarbon compounds of the parafiiii series, vaporizing the same without substantial lossof carbon and producing a mechani-- 'cal mixture of said vapor and a gas or vapor relatively rich in hydrogen', yand subjecting said mechanical mixture to the discharge of an oscillatory electric current lof the ncessary frequency to cause rearrangemen of Athe molecular structures of said compounds 27. In the method of treating a high'spethat step which consists in increasing the cific gravity liquid hydrocarbon distillate to I produce. a low specific gravity liquidhydro- -carbon, vaporrizi'ng the distillate yvithout 1 substantiall loss of carbon and mixing the .vapor with hydrocarbon gas and causing a rearrangement of the molecular structure of -l the mixture of current discharge, whereby hydrogen is substantiall as described.

cific gravity,

j LOUIS B ND CHERRY. 

